White Rose
by faraway117
Summary: [shounenai] A oneshot senru fic from sendoh p.o.v. White rose, the meaning of such a flower... Rukawa, do you understand it?


WHITE ROSE  
  
Rose, rose.   
  
I have always preferred colors on the colder side of the color wheel, even for flowers like roses. But regrettably, roses don't come in blue or green naturally, only in red, pink or yellow these kinds of warm colors. Seeing this, I became fond of white roses.  
  
Of course, roses that I send to my various female admirers were still red, sometimes pink or yellow or mixed, but never white.   
  
Rukawa Kaede, besides the fact that he has always been a rival of mine and not an admirer, was an exception.  
  
When he took the bouquet I handed to him, something flashed across his eyes---I can't be sure, or perhaps I had just imagined it instead. Then immediately, as if to confirm my doubt, he gave me a rather confused look.   
  
"Take it, because..." I sighed inwardly, pausing in the middle of my sentence, trying to think of an valid reason, "...because we're friends."  
  
He gave me a strange look, but much to my relief, nodded and accepted the roses. I smiled weakly at him, feeling as if I was pierced through thoroughly, under his crystal-clear but penetrating eyes. I was silently glad of his indifferent attitude towards things around him---he wouldn't have a clue about the meaning of those flowers.   
  
...  
  
Really, I should be glad.  
  
Once, became twice, became many times.  
  
Even though I knew Rukawa was not a romantic person, I still sent him white roses tirelessly. And he, no matter what he felt by my action, never expressed any discontentment to such a matter.  
  
Every-time when we retire to his house after our never-ending one-on-ones, I would see that the only flower vase he had in his place, would contain no other flowers but those that I sent him. Every time I see them, I'd smile, feeling an odd sort of satisfaction overcoming me.  
  
Months went by quietly, time ran smoothly like the flow of a small river. Days that I spent in school studying, or with him in a basketball court playing, repeated themselves endlessly. I sometimes wondered: what was it that kept me from getting bored by such routines? When was it that as soon as I face you in a game, I start to burn with the desire to win? How was it that when I felt your heated glaze upon me outside a game, I'd feel as if I am unable to meet your eyes? But moreover, nowadays I felt like a bird in the midst of the bluest sky, without any restrains, flying with sunshine on my wings.   
  
Rukawa, if only you'd know, it is my desire to fly with you. With your untainted determination, you're bound to fly further than anyone else. Let me fly with you, and if you do rest, please let me be by your side.  
  
A year passed by in the blink of an eye.  
  
In winter, I'd drag him outside in the middle of the lawn to start a snowball fight. At first he'd give me those "you're such a child" looks, but eventually he'd lose his cool to fight back---with snowballs of course. I'd snicker, having finally dragged him to become "childish" too. Sometimes I'd build a snowman in front of his house, then putting a basketball beside it, I'd draw an arrow pointing to it with the label "Rukawa". Much to my discontentment, he never seemed to notice where he was going----he stepped right over his own name countless number of times...  
  
In spring, I'd drag him with me to see the beautiful bloom of sakura. He'd always fall asleep under the sakura trees, and I'd poke him awake while hiding my smile. Then after having blocked his infamous "death to those who dare to stir my sleep" fists, I'd help him to brush the pink sakura petals off his hair and shoulders. If he were in a good mood, he'd return the favor, ignoring my half-hearted complaints regarding his callous treatment of my spiky hair.  
  
In summer, I'd drag him to go fishing with me. Although he'd always give me a bored look every time I ask him to come along, he'd always give in wordlessly in the end. Those days, the sea was always a beautiful shade of sapphire blue, and the sky an indescribable hue of azure. He'd usually fall asleep not long after we start, and subconsciously lean on me for support. I'd smile, listening to his breathing along with the sounds of sea waves softly beating the shore. Disappointingly, during the entire summer, I never caught a living thing.   
  
In autumn, I'd drag him to see the red maple leaves. I'd always end up making some kind of reference to his name while sightseeing, then I'd have to try to block his fists right after. Kaede, Kaede, I'd say his name softly, watching him blush faintly and wordlessly at such intimate calling of his name.   
  
Kaede, what am I suppose to do with you?  
  
Oddly enough, I never ceased to send him white roses, whose supply was unbound by the changing of seasons. Even he seemed to be accustomed by the presence of them, as if everything was bound to happen the way they are happening now. I too became accustomed to it that I almost forgot the original reason for sending these flowers to him...  
  
---That is, until one day. One fated day, on which I turned eighteen, he dragged me to a small beach, much to my surprise---he would usually drag me to basketball court instead. And there, ignoring my confusion, he handed to me my birthday present. I widened my eyes, stunned for a moment, staring hard at----a bouquet of white roses. I snapped my head up, looking into his eyes: is it? Is it what I'm thinking? Tell me Rukawa, tell me! He unhesitatedly greeted my gaze, and called my name rather quietly, "Sendoh..."  
  
At such an instant, I saw that same gleam flashing across his eyes again; such brilliance and beauty of it rendered me speechless. So I merely smiled at him, watching as a faint red coloring his pale cheek.   
  
Silence spread around us.  
  
That day, the sea turned into a wonder shade of blue.  
  
That evening, the sunset was more than words can describe.  
  
That night, the stars glittered like thousands of crystals.   
  
Any other words between us are unnecessary, for we understand each other too well.   
  
White rose, the meaning of such a flower, is to love with all our sincerity.   
  
Kaede, Kaede... (Do you know what I'm saying in my heart?)  
  
Hai, Sen... Akira.   
  
With sunshine on our wings, Let us fly. Together.  
  
~Owari~ 


End file.
